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Friday, January 9, 2009

ENDURANCE TEST

ENDURANCE TEST

Three monks, having completed their long and rigorous training in a monastery, decided to test their power of endurance. After detailed analysis they selected the dirtiest place on earth - a filthy piggery - for their test. They decided to stay in the dirty pigsty, counting 1, 2, 3 etc. aloud to measure the time of stay. The one who could stay in the place for the maximum period would be declared to have acquired maximum endurance. They entered the piggery and started counting -1, 2, 3, etc. At the count of 20, one of them rushed out, unable to bear the foul smell. The others continued counting - 21, 22, 23 etc. At count 50, the second person also jumped out of the piggery. The third person, now jubilant, continued to stay, counting 51, 52 etc. At the count of 100, there was a great commotion and all the pigs rushed out of the pigsty, unable to tolerate the monk who was more dirty and foul-smelling than the animals.

The story is an exaggeration of the complex manner of underestimating the qualities of others. We may be a real burden to others, but we may believe that we are superior to others. Jesus taught this principle clearly in the words: "Why, then do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, and pay no attention to the log in your own eye? How dare you say to your brother, "Please let me take that speck out of your eye" when you have a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" {Matthew 7:3-5}.

By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.This is Story No. 20 in this site. Please click ‘Older Post’ at the bottom of this page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Post' at the bottom of this page to read newer stories in this site. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.